Three Finalists for Award Come from Industry

BALTIMORE — Terry Dezzutti, COO of Merritt Athletic Clubs in Maryland; Geoff Dyer, president and CEO of Lifestyle Family Fitness in Florida; and Michael Cassady, president and CEO of GlobalFit in Pennsylvania, were named regional finalists by professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2005 Awards in their respective states.

Dezutti became chief operating officer of Merritt Athletic Clubs in 1996 and has helped grow the company from four locations to a network of 11 clubs convenient to every part of the Baltimore metropolitan area.

Under Dyer's leadership, Lifestyle Family Fitness has grown to become Florida's largest group of health and fitness clubs. In fact, IHRSA rated the club group as one of the top 25 fastest growing fitness companies in the world in 2004.

Cassady and his brother John developed GlobalFit from a two-man operation into an organization of 35 employees and a client base of 1,200 employers. GlobalFit offers discounted access to health clubs across the country.

Winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, CA, in November 2005.